Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy
by wingedflower
Summary: During one of the Voltron Shows, Lance meets a very special fan.


**Takes place during season 4, the Voltron Show episode.**

 **This fic features a disabled character, in case that triggers anyone. Also, I know Coran is kind of a douche and OOC in here, but this is how he was in that episode, so I guess it's not really OOC?**

 **Finally, Title of the story is a Queen song.**

* * *

"Spectacular job, everyone!" Coran rumbled as the paladins shuffled into the dressing room, tossing aside costume parts and stretching aching muscles. "Humorous Hunk, your stumbling at the end of the third scene was a bit sloppy; but don't worry, the people of Ashtoria are still quite fond with your character judging by the applause!"

"How can a stumbling _not_ be sloppy?" Hunk asked desperately, but Coran merely waved a dismissive hand before barking more orders.

"You have ten dobashes to rest, and then on to the next show! The next bunch of Ashtorians are already taking their seats from what I hear!"

"I can't believe we have to do this all over again," Pidge groaned as she all but collapsed onto one of the big couches, her legs splayed in front of her. "Do you think Coran will notice if I stop following the script and just blurt out random syllables in all the tech scenes?"

"The audience won't know the difference, that's for sure," Hunk said, already munching on his second energy bar. At least Coran bothered to give them food during their short breathers.

"Guys, please, just a little longer," Shiro said with a small, soothing smile. "We only have one more show and then we're done for today."

"Well, at least _one_ of us looks like he can do this all day," Pidge said and rolled her eyes at the direction of Lance, who was busy leaning against the door frame of the dressing room and giving away autographs to a group of hysterical, mostly female Ashtorians.

"Ladies, please, one at a time," he said with a dashing smile while expertly signing a particularly excited fan's tablet and then flipping it over for a selfie. "You'll all get a piece of Loverboy Lance, so no need to worry those pretty little heads of yours!"

"Only in the next ten – no, wait, _nine_ dobashes," Coran commented while Pidge made a pantomime of throwing up behind his back.

The crowd of fans looked quite distressed upon hearing the ultimatum and Lance frowned. "Don't listen to the man with the funny moustache," he said and instantly put on another smile. "Now, who's ready to make some GIFs?" his question was followed by a round of squeals and renewed attempts to push forward and get to the head of the line.

Finally, after exactly nine dobashes, Coran made a beeline to the door and announced, "Intermission is officially over! Our stars must get back to stage now for their second performance, so bugger off, all of you!"

There was a collective sigh of disappointment among the Ashtorians, but Coran wasted no time grabbing the door and pushing it forward, literally shoving them out of the room. Lance shot him a glare before beaming once more at his fans. "Well, it was sure nice meeting you ladies, but now Loverboy Lance must go back to saving the universe. Don't forget to join the coalition, alright?" he winked and finger-gunned at them, which made one of the younger Ashtorians practically fall back on her friend and pass out.

"Girls are dumb," Pidge said gloomily, earning a weary nod from Allura.

" _Wait!_ " an agonized cry was heard from outside as one of the women at the back of the line ran forward and planted her foot in front of the door, preventing it from closing any further. "Wait, no, please – my daughter – we've been waiting for so long – "

"You and about a dozen more, so why should _you_ get a special treatment?" Coran flared and continued to push the door against the woman's body, but Lance held up a hand to stop him.

"Dude, you need to _chill_ ," he said in a low voice. "And show our fans some respect." He turned to the Ashtorian woman and offered her a gentle smile. "I'm sorry, miss – we have another show coming right now, so I really have to go. Maybe you can try next time?"

"No, please – you don't understand," the woman sounded desperate now. "My daughter has been eager to meet you, Paladin Lance – we might not have a chance next time – " suddenly her shoulders slumped and she sighed, looking at the floor. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I did not mean to bother you… I know how busy you all are… we should just leave."

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Lance stepped forward and pulled the door open, ignoring Coran's protests. "I guess I have time for one more autograph. It sounds like it's really important to your daughter, so who am I to disappoint such a devoted fan?"

The woman's head shot up and she stared at Lance in awe. "Really? Oh, _thank you_ , thank you so much – Nuror, did you hear that?" she turned her head, speaking to someone in the back. "Paladin Lance is ready to meet you! Come here!" she smiled apologetically at Lance. "I'm sorry, looks like she's a little bit shy – I'll go get her – "

"Lance, I can't believe I agree with Coran, but we really don't have time for this," Hunk said carefully.

"Yeah," Shiro said. "We've already missed our first cue – " his voice died down when the Ashtorian woman returned to the room, pushing a small wheelchair in front of her.

The alien who sat in the chair was without doubt an Ashtorian child – no older than four or five in human years - only that both her legs ended a few inches below the knees, which were both wrapped neatly in white bandages.

For a few moments everybody simply stood there and took in the sight in silence; even Coran seemed to be at loss of words for a change. Then, Lance coughed and kneeled in front of the chair so he was about the same height as its occupant, and took one of her small hands in his own. "So, your name is Nuror?" he asked amiably. "What a lovely name. Do you want to tell me what is your favorite part of the Voltron Show? Well, except for me, of course."

Nuror stared at him with wide eyes but remained silent, her other hand fisting around the thin cloth that cushioned the chair. Her mother quickly cleared her throat and said, "I apologize – she hadn't really talked since the… incident." She sighed and gestured at her daughter's mangled legs. "Although our planet had been long liberated from the Galra's occupation, our lands are still crawling with mines and booby-traps left there from deca-phoebs of war. Two phoebs ago, Nuror went down to play at the market with some friends… and stepped on one of the old mines hidden in the ground."

She smiled sadly. "She's always been such a lively kid, but after everything that happened she just… shut down. No talking, no playing, no going outside – not even after we've managed to get her this chair. Prosthetic limbs are out of the question, as our planet does not possess such technology; but even if it did, our family simply cannot afford it."

She smoothed a loving palm over the child's large, furry ears. "However, after watching your show on one of the intergalactic broadcasts a short while ago… she was suddenly back to her old self, if only partially. She still doesn't talk, but this show has managed to bring a smile to her face for the first time ever since that bloody day. And right after it was over, she grabbed her tablet and markers – she hadn't touched them in such a long time – and drew this." She handed Lance a small tablet and pressed a few buttons to reveal an image that at first sight looked like a collection of blue and red smudges, but a closer look determined it was a drawing of Lance sliding down the red lion in one of his famous acrobatic moves.

"I figured Paladin Lance's scenes were her favorite parts of the show," she said sheepishly. "Therefore, the moment we heard you were coming to perform in Ashtoria, I just _knew_ I had to arrange a meeting in person. I'm – I'm sorry for bursting in like this."

Lance looked at the drawing and then back at Nuror, his eyes softening. "You're a very talented little lady," he said and squeezed her hand. " _I_ , on the other hand, have many talents," he puffed his chest theatrically, "But unfortunately drawing isn't one of them. When I was six I drew my mom a butterfly and she thought it was an obscene image; she beat me with her shoe twice before I managed to explain to her what I meant."

Nuror's mouth twitched as if she wanted to laugh but held it back, glancing away timidly.

Lance huffed out an amused breath. "Well, thank you for not making fun of me like my siblings did. I really appreciate it. Now, can I ask your mom to send this beautiful drawing to my phone? So I can look at it every time I need a confidence boost. Even handsome heroes such as myself need those from time to time."

Nuror gave a small nod and Lance raised his face to her mother. "Um, miss – I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Eshor. And of course." She willingly took the orange smartphone Lance handed her and typed into her tablet, waiting for it to receive the signal and connect. "Here – it is sent."

"Perfect. Thank you, Eshor." Lance took back his phone, sliding it into one of his armor pockets. "And now I think we're ready for some pictures. I can stay down here with you or I can pick you up so you'll be at my height, what do you say? My arms may not be strong as Shiro's" – Shiro's cheeks pinkened and he mumbled something incoherent – "But I swear on my honor as a paladin I won't drop you."

Nuror thought about it for a few ticks. Then, her ears fluttered and she stretched out her short arms in anticipation.

Lance beamed at her. "Alright then. All aboard the Lancey ship!" he stood up and bent to collect Nuror in his arms, barely swallowing a grunt as she appeared to be a tad heavier then he'd expected, but after a tick he straightened up with the girl tucked safely in his arms, careful not to touch her stumps. "Well, normally I'd go for a selfie but since my arms are kind of full at the moment – Eshor, will you do us the honor?"

"Of course," Eshor said and held the tablet high. "Whenever you're ready."

Lance turned to the girl. "Okay, Nuror, for the first picture I want to see a huge smile. The biggest you can give. Can you do it for me? Like this," he grinned brightly at the camera, the corner of his eyes crinkling. Nuror followed through a moment later, her grin nearly reaching her ears. She only had five teeth, but her smile was beautiful nonetheless.

Eshor took several pictures in a row, looking overjoyed. "Done," she announced.

"Great." Lance adjusted Nuror in his arms. "And now hold out your arm, like Shiro does when he's showing off his muscles, so everyone can see how strong you are."

Nuror raised her arm and made a fist, almost covering Lance's face as the camera flashed twice.

"Whoa, girl, that's an impressive muscle you've got there! Remind me not to go arm wrestling against you when you're older," Lance said and Nuror let out a sound that almost resembled a snort of laughter. "Alright, last picture – we're going to make a funny face for this one, okay? Something like this," he crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out. But Nuror only tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Hey, you don't have to do exactly the same face as me," Lance said after his eyes settled back in place. "Just… anything weird or unusual with your face goes. Or we can just take a regular picture, that's okay too!" he added quickly after realizing that talking about physical abnormalities was perhaps not the most tactful thing at the moment.

However, apparently Nuror had something else in mind as she suddenly stuck her tongue out as well – only hers was about four times longer than Lance's as she managed to wrap it around the tip of one of her ears.

Lance shrieked in laughter. "Got it," he said and put on his crossed expression from before.

Finally the photo session was over and Eshor put down the tablet, looking at Lance with moist eyes. " _Thank you_ ," she said chokingly. "Thank you so much, Paladin Lance. This means so much to us. I would apologize for wasting your time, but seeing my daughter so happy again makes it all worth it."

"Hey, no problem. It was really nice meeting you both," Lance turned back to the girl in his arms. "I'm going to put you down now, okay? No offense, but my arms are getting a little tired and I kind of need them for all the cool stunts."

Nuror chuckled, which Lance took as a sign of approval and carefully set her back in the wheelchair. "Just one more thing before we head back to the stage," he took the tablet from her mother and clicked on the last picture with a pen he drew from his armor. "To Nuror," he said as he scribbled across the screen, "Stay awesome. Love, Lance."

Eshor took back her tablet with shaking hands. "Thank you," she whispered. "Paladin Lance, you… you are truly pure of heart, much more than what your character lets on in your shows."

Lance blushed deeply and raised an arm to scratch his head. "Hehe… that's very nice of you, but I'm really not that… y'know…"

Eshor smiled kindly at his fluster. "Yes, you are. Even if you don't believe it quite yet." She placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Come on, my love, it's time to go. Say goodbye to Paladin Lance and all of his nice friends."

"Hold on!" Allura leapt from her seat and seven pairs of surprised eyes shot at her direction. She flinched slightly at the sudden attention, but the determination in her eyes did not falter. "Please," she said in a calmer voice. "I cannot stand the thought of you leaving without at least hearing our offer to help you."

"Allura, what are you talking about?" Hunk asked.

Allura shook her head. "It is not right for an innocent citizen to be crippled for life because of the crimes of the Galra," she said solemnly. "No one deserves such fate, especially when they are so young. I'm afraid we cannot let you stay at the Castle of Lions due to its constant involvement in battles, but we will be more than happy to escort you to the planet of Olkarion once our show is over. Not only this planet is a hub for refugees liberated from the Galra and a staging ground for members of the Coalition, the Olkari are also known for their highly advanced technological skills; I am certain they will be able to fashion your daughter two prosthetic legs in a rather short time."

Eshor stared at Allura in amazement. "You… are you truly saying that…" her lips tightened and she lowered her gaze to the floor. "I can't possibly express how grateful we are for your kindness, Princess. However…" her eyes clouded. "I'm afraid we will have to decline. We can't possibly afford such a procedure; we've already spent nearly our entire savings on Nuror's chair."

"Oh, please, no payment is required," Allura said lightly and Eshor's head shot up again. "The Olkari are among our most trustworthy allies, and they will be happy to assist you in everything you need without expecting anything in return. I think I speak for all of us when I say that the greatest reward for their efforts will be to see young Nuror running around again and having a peaceful, happy childhood."

The others nodded enthusiastically, sending both mother and daughter encouraging smiles. Eshor's jaw opened and closed several times as she tried to find the right words. "I… I don't…" suddenly she fell to her knees and literally bowed at Allura. "Thank you, _thank you_ , Princess… we will never be able to repay you… you are without doubt as kind as you are beautiful…"

"You've got that right," Lance said with a smirk.

Allura raised her hands, clearly embarrassed by the woman's outpouring. "Y-you're welcome," she said, a bit winded. "Honestly, it is no trouble for us. We shall discuss the exact details of your transport right after the show."

"Which is at least fifteen dobashes late now," Coran said faintly, looking torn between urging the paladins to get on stage and bursting into tears.

Eshor quickly got up and wiped her eyes. "Alright," she panted. "I – I will go and talk to my husband in the meantime… again, thank you _so much…_ " she grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and rolled her daughter out of the room. Nuror twisted her head back and set her large eyes on Lance again.

Lance grinned and waved at her. "Bye, little beauty! We'll see you in a bit!"

And with that, the door was finally closed.

Shiro sighed and patted Allura's elbow. "Great thinking, Princess," he said.

Allura smiled and shook her head. "I might have pitched in towards the end, but I think the real hero of the day is Lance." She looked at the blue paladin fondly. "Without your patience and willingness to meet this girl, we might have never heard her story and been able to help. It was an absolute delight to watch you taking care of her; your stage name may be 'Loverboy Lance', but there is no mistaking the true love you show your fans, old and young. Those small acts of compassion are what draws people to the cause more than anything else."

"Yeah, man," Hunk croaked, tears already streaming down his face. "That was beautiful."

"I usually hate kids, but damn it, that little girl got into my heart," Pidge said, her voice suspiciously hoarse.

"You really did a wonderful thing today, Lance," Shiro said and sent him a sincere smile. "You should be proud of yourself."

Lance sighed and leaned against the door. "Yeah, I guess… I don't know…"

"What are you talking about?" Hunk frowned. "You just gave a girl in a wheelchair a reason to smile _and_ a chance to walkagain. That's, like, the definition of saint."

"Maybe, but there are probably so many kids like her out there," Lance insisted, staring at the ceiling in frustration. "You heard what Eshor said – their planet is crawling with Galra mines. Things like that probably happen every day, not only here but on other planets as well. How are we even supposed to help everyone?" his hands fisted at his sides.

Shiro walked to him and placed a large hand on his shoulder. "We can't," he said simply. "This is a war, and we're only five paladins against a whole universe. As much as we would like to save every single soul out there, it's just not possible. But we can start by saving one soul at a time." He squeezed the younger boy's shoulder. "You said you wanted to keep Nuror's drawing for times you needed a confidence boost, right? Well, this drawing should also remind you that you just brought back hope to a family who thought they'd already lost it. Even if it's only one family out of million – this small spark of hope will someday light another one, and then another one, and so on with every planet we liberate. That's what being a paladin means; that's what _Voltron_ means."

Lance finally smiled and placed his hand on Shiro's. "Well, I guess you're right. Thanks, Shiro."

"Seriously, you need to _stop_ saying all this super smart and moving stuff!" Hunk wailed, clinging to Pidge who looked ready to join him in any moment. "I can't take it anymore!"

Shiro laughed. "Come on, guys, let's start the show. The audience is waiting. Sorry for the delay, Coran."

"Yes, well, I sent Bii-Boh-Bi to arrange an opening skit in the meantime, I hope it sufficed…" Coran muttered absently, making his way to one of the back rooms with shaking shoulders. "My apologies… I think I need to use the restroom…" he slammed the door behind him without explaining further.

The others stared at the door in confusion. "I think we just broke Coran," Hunk said eventually.

"Well, it's better then him breathing down our necks all evening," Pidge said and stood up, cracking her neck several times. "Come on, let's get this over with."

"Razzle-dazzle them!" Lance called and smoothed his hair back with two fingers, earning a fond eyeroll from everyone.

Shiro was right. They couldn't save every single person in the universe; but putting a smile on a small girl's face was definitely a step in the right direction.

* * *

 **This was all just an excuse to write Lance being nice to kids and an adorable human being in general LMAO.**

 **Please leave a review! I'd appreciate it a lot.**


End file.
